I grew up in a quaint little village on the north-eastern coast of the Commonwealth of Dominica- known as the nature island of the Caribbean. My life was simple and beautiful- No electricity, outside cooking, pit toilets, 6am river baths, daily barefoot bush excursions, and writing. Oh, how I loved writing.
One of my favourite memories is of my primary school teacher Sir Roy being so proud of an essay that he ran around the entire school showing all the teachers. Besides my mom, he was one of first persons to speak life into my gift.
At age twelve, my family moved to a nearby island Antigua and Barbuda in search of a better life. Two years later, my mother experienced a major nervous breakdown, and I was left to live with my elder sister. That situation had a major effect on my mental health. During the next few years, I struggled to cope with self-harm, anxiety, and PTSD.
Despite the chaos, my passion to be a great writer continued to grow. I was the top English student throughout high school, and my poetry continued to impress everyone around me. In the years to come, my anxiety got worse and began affecting me physically.
Five years ago, after starting therapy, I decided to write a book on my life with hopes of inspiring and helping others. The thing is I had no idea where or how to begin. I tried writing a biography but struggled to sit so closely with my traumatic experiences.
Eventually, I turned to poetry. And Writing Me was born. It took me about three years to complete the compilation of pieces that would make up my story, and about a year to figure out how to design and self publish, but the wait was worth it.
“This isn’t just a collection of poems—it’s a reflection of the struggles and triumphs that shaped me into the woman I am today. In moments of pain, grief, and anger, I always found a way to write, whether it was a venting paragraph or a single affirmation to carry me through the day.
Writing Me is a tribute to all those who continue to gracefully write their stories, even when the world seems determined to break them down.”
Writing Me paperback copies are available on Amazon:
Alicia Lebruin is a twenty-nine year old professional writer and author from The Commonwealth of Dominica located in the Eastern Caribbean. From childhood, Alicia had the passion and desire to become an accomplished writer and she did everything in her power to get there.
Over the years, Alicia has dabbled in journalism, content and copywriting and much more, ultimately building a diverse portfolio. Alicia is currently the CEO of The Write Way Writing Services, a writing company based in Antigua and Barbuda.
